KINGFIELD – The Kingfield Fire Department received a $152,000 Homeland Security grant under the Assistance to Firefighters grant program this month.
Fire Chief Fred Nichol said he applied for the grant three years in a row, and was turned down twice before receiving notification money had been awarded this fall.
Nichol said the town received the grant to “replace a 35-year-old pump truck that’s no longer serviceable.” The town purchased a ladder truck from Carrabassett Valley recently, and Nichol said he is excited about the upgrades to Kingfield’s fleet. He added that having the new trucks “is going to benefit the towns around us,” as Kingfield often responds to out-of-area emergencies when needed.
Nichol said he thinks Kingfield’s receipt of the grant has “created a little controversy.” Some think small “towns like Kingfield weren’t worthy” of Homeland Security grants, being at low risk for terrorism, he said.
He explained that the grant program was organized before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to ensure communities have the equipment needed “for public safety.”
First Selectman John Dill lauded Nichol on his efforts to secure the grant. “Fred worked hard, and he was persistent,” Dill said.
The Temple Fire Department received $218,500 from the 2005 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program this month. The town plans to purchase a Metalfab Pumper/Tanker, according to a news statement.
Town officials were not immediately unavailable for comment.
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